Jaw surgery or oral maxillofacial surgery is mostly a non-emergency surgical treatment that can be scheduled. During the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic or COVID-19, it inevitably affects jaw surgery. In the previous article, I wrote about preparing patients before jaw surgery. In this article, I will discuss how to care for patients on the day of surgery and after surgery for those who need jaw bone surgery during the COVID-19 era. I refer to the information and guidelines from the “Guidelines for Procedures and Surgeries during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak” announced by the Department of Medical Services on May 7, 2020.
Surgery and postoperative care for patients with negative virology laboratory screening results, as well as other patients who do not meet the laboratory screening criteria, should be performed with surgery and anesthesia according to general medical standards.
Patient care on the day of surgery
- Patient transportation must follow standard precautions and social distancing principles, with patients required to wear surgical masks at all times within the hospital.
- All medical personnel in the operating room must follow standard precautions and social distancing, limit the number of personnel in the operating room as necessary, and wear standard personal protective equipment as usual.
- Preparation of the operating room, cleaning, and maintenance until the completion of surgery must follow general standards.
Postoperative patient care
- Care for patients should be provided in the recovery room or designated area according to the suitability of the facility and the patient’s condition in the context of each hospital.
- There should be a system to monitor patients for changes in respiratory function or other symptoms during hospitalization until after discharge.
- After surgery, there should be a clear discharge planning, and patients should be sent home as soon as possible.
Hospital stays should have policies based on social distancing principles, such as reducing visitations, limiting the number of relatives allowed to stay with the patient, and requiring patients and relatives to wear masks at all times during visits.
All of the above are principles for caring for patients during and after surgery, with general principles that hospital staff, patients, and caregivers should follow to help us get through this difficult time together.
Dr. Vetas Sakdechyon
Specialist Dentist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Dental Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital
